Transversely-bracing and interlocking hot-air stack of rectangular cross-section.



A. G. SCHERER.

TRANSVERSELY BRACING AND INTERLOCKING HOT AIR STACK 0F RECTANGULAR cRoss SECTION.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8. 1914.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

warren saa'ras PATENT cr mes.

ALBERTo. SCI-IERER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGivon fro THE EXCELSIOR STEEL FURNACE COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION. or ILLINOIS.

. TRANSVERSELY-BRAGING INTERLOCKING- HOT-AIR STACK F RECTANGULAR GROSS-SECTION;

7 To all whom it may concern *Be it known that I, ALBERT G. SGHERER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transversely-Bracing and Interlocking Hot-Air Stacks of Rectangular Cross-Section, of which the following is a specification.

. it is the practice to make hot air stacks or conduits employed in the distribution of hot air in heating systems of rectangular section so that. it may be installed in the walls be tween the studding. For the purpose of protection against fire through over heating of the conduit, such conduit is made with double walls between which is maintained an air space for the circulation of air around the inner wall which carries the hot air. As it is the practice to space the'studding .in the walls of buildings sixteen or more inches apart, it will be seen that rectangular conduits for installation between the studding will have fiat front and rear walls of relatively large extent which have only the strength of the metal of which they are made to resist any crushing strain to which they may be subjected. While such conduit will be subject to little or no such transverse crushing strain after its installation ,it is subject to all sorts of strains in storage, transportation and installation, and it is obviously extremely desirable to maintain it in proper shape at all times. Again it is the present practice to manufacture such stacks in sections the ends of which are adapted to be joined to form a-stack of the requisite length. After such stack is in stalled a settling of the building or other accident may cause the joints between sections to come apart which causes both the loss of the hot air and the incurring of an unnecessary fire hazard through the escape of the hot air into the walls.

The objects of my present invention are the provision of a simple and effective brace between the broad front and rear walls of hot air stacks of rectangular section, and the further provlslon of simple and eflective means for interlocking adjoining sections of such stack.

I attain the above objects by means of the structure shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmental transverse sec- Specification of Letters Patent.

' possible.

tional detail of two sections of 'hotair stack embodying my invention in position for assembly, but not quite assembled; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the bracing and interlocking means showniin Fig. 1, taken at right angles thereto; and Fig. 3 is an end view of a sectlon of stack.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The sections of stack comprise the inner and outer walls, 1 and 2, formed into conduit of rectangular cross section, the inner and outer walls being spaced apart in order to provide the air space, 3. The ends of the inner and outer walls may be brought together to form the means i for'connecting adjacent sections as shown-in Fig. l or any suitable means for that purpose may be provided upon. such ends.

F or the purpose of transversely bracing the walls of the sections, I provide the member, the central portion 5, of whichis of suflicient length toextend between opposite points upon the inner surfaceof the inner walls of a section. The material of which I Patented NOV. 16, 1915. iApplication filed JuneS, 1914. Serial No. 843,670. I 7

the bracing member is formed is then bent at right angles to form' short lengths 6 which will extend adjacent to and bear upon theinner surfaces of the inner walls, andat the end of the lengths, 6,.it is again bent at right angles to extend through the inner wall which has been pierced at 7 for that purpose. The portion of the bracing'member, 8, which-extends through the inner wall is extended sufiiciently far so that the end thereof will contact with and'bear against the'i'nner surface of the outer wall. lt'will now be seen that the portion 8 of the brac ing member will serve to space the outer wall against being collapsed upon the inner wall, and that the central portion 5, of the bracing member will prevent opposite inner walls from being forced together. With sections of stack so formed it is possible to pile section upon section to any desired eX- tent and to ship the stack so packed which, so far as I am aware, has not hitherto been The means provided for interlocking adjacent sections is the link 9 which is preferably made in the form shown, that is the material of the link is wound about the central portion, 5, of a bracing member in the loop 10, so that it will not be liable to be detached therefrom, and so that the link will be held substantially at right angles thereto and pendent therefrom. The ends. of the link, 9, after forming the loop are extended downwardly to such a distance aswill permit of their engaging the bracing member of an adjoining section when two sections are properly fitted together. Onesidesof the link 9 is then bent toward the other side to form the latch, 11, the point of which either contacts with or passes the opposite side of the link, 12, the endsof both portions, l1 and 12, are then flared so as to make certain the engagement of the latch when one section is inserted into another. without thejnecessity of inserting the arm into the section toma'kethe connection.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-V duit of rectangular section in combination with a brace member extendlng between opposite sides of the inner wall thereof, said brace member being formed to extend adjacent said sides of the inner wall and then being turned to extend through said sides and extended to terminate adjacent the sides of said outerwalls, and means carried by said brace member adapted to interlock with the brace member of an adjoining section.

3. A section of double wall stack or conduit of rectangular section in combination with a brace'member adapted to extend between and to pass through opposite sides of the; inner wall and to terminate adjacent the sides of the outer wall and to engage both the inner and outer walls at its points Copies of'this patent may be obtained for of juncture therewith, and means carried by said brace member adapted to interlock with the brace member of an adjoining section. V

d. Asection of double wall 'stackor. con- "duit of rectangular section incombination with a brace member extending between opposite points of the inner wall thereof, said v brace member being formed to extend adja:

cent the sides of said inner wall and then be I ing turned to extend through said inner walls and extended to terminate adjacent said outerwa'lls, and a link secured to said brace'member-theopposite endswhereof are formed into a latch with. flaring ends adapted to engage with a brace member of an adjoining section. V

5.- A section 'of doubler wall stack or. con- 7 duit of rectangular section in combination with a brace member adapted to extend' transversely through. said stack and between opposite sides of the walls thereof and engage both the inner'and outer walls, and a link secured to said brace member the opposite ends whereof are formed into a-latch" withflaring ends adapted to engage with a brace member of an adjoining section.

' 6. A sectlon of double wall stacker con:

duit of rectangular section in combination 7 with a brace member extending betweenop posite points of the innerwall thereof, said brace member being formed to extend adjacent the sides of said inner wall and then being turned to extend through said sides and extended to terminate adjacent said outer walls, and a link secured to said brace member the opposite ends whereof are formed into a latch adapted to engage with a brace member of an adjoining section.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

I ALBERT G. sonnnun. I

Witnesses: 7

J. H. JOOHUM, Jr., M. A. MILORD.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

